U.S. Thread Company Mills, Willimantic, Connecticut c. 1893 - 1897

Julian Alden Weir painted the U.S. Thread Company Mills in Willimantic, Connecticut, using oil on canvas. Weir belonged to a generation of American artists who grappled with the changing landscape of the United States, as industrialization began to take hold. Here, Weir offers us a view of industry, softened by the natural world. Yet, the scene raises questions about progress and its cost. Textile mills like these were notorious for their exploitation of labor, particularly women and children, who faced long hours and unsafe conditions. The very threads produced here were spun from the lives of the working class. Weir’s choice to depict this scene with a gentle, Impressionistic touch invites us to consider the complex relationship between beauty and exploitation, and the human cost of industrial advancement.